Sins of the Fathers
by Caroline Masters
Summary: An old friend contacts John Grainger but are happy memories of a time long past the real reason for her visit to Shiloh?
1. Chapter 1

**Sins of the Fathers**

_(no connection with the episode of similar name in series 8)_

Chapter 1

John Grainger looked thoughtfully at the envelope on his desk. He didn't immediately recognize the writing but somehow it looked vaguely familiar. The address of a hotel in Laramie written on the back gave no clue to the writer's identity. Curious he slit open the envelope and started to read.

"_Twenty-five years is a long time but over the years I often wondered what had happened to you and your family. Sadly Jack died a couple of months ago and as I have no other ties here I've decided to take a trip to see my sister in San Francisco. When I saw an article about you and Shiloh in the newspaper last week it seemed an ideal opportunity to visit you on my way there. I'll quite understand if it isn't convenient but do hope we can meet to talk about the old days and our happy memories."_

John Grainger smiled. They had indeed been happy memories. Olivia and Jack Hardwicke had been their closest neighbors when he and his wife had first started out with their own ranch. They had helped each other during the tough winters and the hot summers when it had been a struggle to keep their herds alive on the meager grass available. Times had been hard but they had overcome all the difficulties with the support of their neighbors. Their children had grown up together and also developed a firm friendship.

There was a photograph somewhere, he remembered, one that Olivia had sent the first Christmas after the Graingers had moved away to Texas. It showed Olivia, Jack and their daughter Sarah, standing on the front porch of their ranch, in the typical somber pose of that period. He wondered where he had put the picture – probably in one of the boxes in the attic. He would search for it later. In the meantime, he would send a telegram to Olivia inviting her to stay at Shiloh for as long as she wanted.

Five days later he and his grandchildren traveled in to Medicine Bow to meet their guest at the station. Belden and Trampas accompanied them in the cart to unload the new hay bailer arriving on the same train.

"Stacey, you are the image of your father," Mrs Hardwicke exclaimed smiling. "The last time I saw him he was about your age and you are so like him, don't you agree John?"

"Well, yes, he does take after his father whereas his sister mainly resembles their mother. Elizabeth will join us in a minute. She's over there, saying goodbye to her friend Hannah who's taking the train to Green River."

The men had unloaded the hay bailer and Trampas was signing the delivery note and talking to the train guard. Belden, having checked that the machinery was firmly secured, had turned round ready to climb up onto the cart when he caught sight of the expression on Mrs Hardwicke's face. The grey-haired woman was standing slightly in front of and parallel to Mr Grainger and Stacey, making her face obscured from them, so Belden was the only one to see the angry glare that she gave in Elizabeth's direction. The look appeared for just a brief moment but it was enough to cause Belden to frown. Mrs Hardwicke had never met Liz before. Why should she show such dislike towards her? He continued to watch but now the friendly smile had returned and when Liz finally walked over to greet Mrs Hardwicke she was met with a warm handshake. Belden shook his head. He must have been mistaken. Maybe that noonday sun was hotter than he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I must say, John, you have a splendid ranch. You must be so proud of what you've achieved here," Mrs Hardwicke said after dinner that evening.

"Well, it took a lot of years and a lot of hard work but we made it in the end. Shiloh is everything that I ever wanted – and knowing that I will pass it on to Stacey and Elizabeth gives me even greater satisfaction."

"What about your own family, Mrs Hardwicke?" asked Elizabeth as she poured the coffee. "You haven't told us about your daughter. Grandad says that Dad and Sarah were like brother and sister when they were growing up. They spent all their time together."

Mrs Hardwicke hesitated slightly, "Yes, they were. They were very close. Sarah was very happy growing up with Robert beside her." She paused again before continuing, "I should have told you in my letter. Sarah died a long time ago, about a year after you moved to Texas."

"I'm so sorry, Olivia. We had no idea. What happened?"

"It was a dreadful accident. Do you remember the lake where we used to go for picnics? It was a particular favorite with Sarah and Robert, and after you moved away Sarah often rode out there so that she could read a book or write her diary on her own."

"I remember," said John quietly.

"Well, she went out there one beautiful spring afternoon as usual. When she didn't come back for supper I was worried so Jack rode out there to bring her home." Mrs Hardwicke paused for a moment as she remembered that painful evening when her life had changed for ever. "He found her body in the water. She must have slipped, hit her head and drowned."

"I'm so sorry," said Elizabeth, stretching out her hand to touch Mrs Hardwicke's. "I shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to bring back such unhappy memories."

"You didn't. They've never gone away. When someone you love is taken away from you at such a young age, the pain never leaves you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Over the next few days Elizabeth showed their guest around the ranch and took her into Medicine Bow where Elizabeth was fitted for a new dress for the dance on Saturday. It was a stifling hot day and Mrs Hardwicke felt the heat of the store unbearable so she went outside for some fresh air. Still feeling light-headed despite the light breeze, she noticed Dr Spaulding's office and crossed over the street to see if he could provide her with some relief. Unfortunately, only his wife was there as the doctor had gone out to visit a patient but Mrs Spaulding, believing that he would be back soon, invited Mrs Hardwicke to wait in the coolest room in the building, his examining room. After about five minutes, however, Mrs Hardwicke began to feel refreshed and, not wanting to keep Elizabeth waiting, thanked the doctor's wife and left.

The evening brought a little comfort from the heat, but Mrs Hardwicke still found it difficult to sleep which she commented on the next day at breakfast.

"I think one of the reasons is that I've been drinking more coffee here than I usually do. I generally drink tea at home and I suddenly remembered that I'd packed a couple of packets of herbal tea at the last moment. Would anyone like to share some with me, now? I find it really calming."

"No thank you," replied Stacey firmly. "I'll stick to Liz's coffee. It's the only thing that wakes me up in the morning."

"John, what about you?"

"Thank you, Olivia, but I must get down to the bunkhouse to talk to the Virginian about the preparations for the cattle drive. I'm still waiting for confirmation from the buyer but, when it comes, the drive will start straightaway as the schedule is very tight. I expect Elizabeth will try some of your tea though."

"Of course, I will, Mrs Hardwicke. It will make a lovely change."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Liz, what are you doing sitting here on the front porch?" asked Stacey that afternoon when he returned from mending the fence on the north range. "I thought you were taking Mrs Hardwicke over to see the Wilsons."

"Grandad took her instead. I didn't feel up to it."

"You're not sickening for something are you?" he asked with concern, and touched her forehead gently. "You haven't got a temperature."

"No, I'm not ill. I'm just a bit tired, that's all. I thought I'd sit here and read for a while. But I'm finding it difficult to keep my eyes open."

"What are you reading?"

"Sarah's diary. Mrs Hardwicke lent it to me."

"Her diary! That's a strange thing to give you."

"Not really. It's about the time when Sarah knew Dad, when they were growing up together. It's rather lovely, really. They got on so well. It reminds me of us growing up in Texas with Bill and Annie and all the fun the four of us had together."

"I still think it's a bit odd. Why has she got it with her? Does she carry it round with her all the time?"

"I don't know. But I thought it was nice of her to share it to me. It gives an insight into our father's life. We hardly knew him, Stace. We lost him when we were so young. The diary brings him alive again."

Stacey was quiet for a moment, wondering if the diary might open painful memories for him and his sister. Their parents' lives had been tragically cut short by the Indian raid on their home in Texas. It had taken a long time for him and Liz and their grandfather to come to terms with their deaths. What purpose could be served by reminding them of what they had lost? But he saw the joy in Elizabeth's eyes and couldn't bring himself to dampen it.

"What does she say about him, then?" he asked, sitting down beside her on the bench.

"Listen, I'll read a bit to you:

_Today Robert and I rode out to have a picnic by the lake. It was lovely to be alone with him. He talked a little about what he wanted to do with his life. He wants to run his own ranch, to work outdoors and feel the wind in his hair and the warmth of the sun on his back as he rides across the open range. He wants to ride up to the hills and look down on his own herd grazing in the valley below. He has such wonderful dreams for the future. I just love to hear him talking about them._"

Elizabeth looked up from the diary and smiled. "It's beautiful, isn't it? But it's sad too, of course. He never got the chance to fulfill all his dreams."

"No, Liz. He didn't. But Grandad has and he's given us the opportunity to share them. If Dad could see us now at Shiloh, he would be very happy."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, you're right. And aren't you glad that Mrs Hardwicke showed me the diary?"

"Yes, Liz. It was very kind of her."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"You're not going in on the buggy?" asked the Virginian when Stacey appeared at the bunkhouse door to see if the hands were ready to go to the dance.

"No. Liz isn't coming, so Grandad is taking Mrs Hardwicke. I thought I'd ride in with all of you and then I could leave whenever I wanted to and not wait around for them."

"It's not like Liz to miss a dance, especially when she's got a new dress to show off."

"She says she's too tired. I don't know what's wrong but she's been very tired the past couple of days. I'm getting a little worried about it."

"What does your grandfather say?"

"He asked Mrs Hardwicke, and she said that it was probably the heat. She said that she'd had trouble sleeping because of it, and had been feeling more tired than usual and that it was probably the same for Liz. Grandad agreed. But we're used to the heat. After all, we grew up in Texas! I don't think it's that at all."

"Well, perhaps she's been doing too much running around after Mrs Hardwicke. A visitor in the house can make a lot of extra work."

"Maybe." Stacey wasn't convinced.

"Look, Doc Spaulding will be at the dance tonight. Why don't you have a word with him and ask his advice?"

Stacey brightened up at the suggestion. "Yes, that's a good idea. I'll talk to him."

The dance was its usual great success, with nearly all the townspeople attending, as well as most of the hands from the surrounding ranches. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, especially Mrs Hardwicke who became quite a star attraction, dancing with anyone and everyone, from young Billy Scott, the storekeeper's son who was attending his first dance, to old Wally McCracken who normally just sat on the sidelines, tapping his feet in time to the music. However, not everyone from Shiloh was quite so content. Stacey spent most of the evening watching the door for Doc Spaulding to arrive, becoming more and more impatient as the time passed. Ryker, observant as ever, noticed his preoccupation and went up to him.

"Which special lady are you waiting for?" he asked with a smile.

"Not a lady," Stacey replied. "I'm waiting for Doc Spaulding. I want to talk to him about Liz."

"Where is she? I promised her a dance, but I haven't seen her yet."

"She's not coming. She doesn't feel well enough. That's why I want to talk to the Doc."

"Well, I'm afraid he's not coming either. I saw him ride out to the Tuckers earlier this evening. Mrs Tucker's baby is on the way. She had a difficult time with the last one, so the Doc was taking no chances. He won't be back tonight."

Stacey banged his glass down in annoyance, spilling some of the drink over the table. "That's too bad. I really wanted to talk to him." He sighed. "Well, there's no point in hanging around here any longer. I'm going back to Shiloh," and he picked up his hat and was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

On Monday morning Trampas collected the stores for the ranch from town and picked up the telegram that Mr Grainger had been expecting from the cattle buyer. The drive was to go ahead with immediate effect, but the buyer was insisting on paying cash to Mr Grainger, and to no-one else.

John Grainger frowned when he read the terms. It meant he'd have to travel to Cheyenne to collect the money.

"I'm sorry to have to leave you at Shiloh on your own," he said to Mrs Hardwicke. "But I'll only be away for a couple of days."

"Don't worry about it, John. It can't be helped. I'm sure Elizabeth will look after me wonderfully."

"I'm afraid there'll be just the two of you left behind on the ranch. It's a big drive and we need to take all the men, including Stacey, to make sure we meet the deadline."

"That's perfectly all right, John. Elizabeth and I will be fine."

Elizabeth certainly wasn't feeling fine the next morning as she was still suffering from the unusual lethargy that had plagued her recently. However, she forced herself out of bed at 6 o'clock to make sure her grandfather and brother had a substantial breakfast before they started their long journeys.

"If you're not feeling better by the time I get back, you're going straight to town to see Dr Spaulding even if I have to drag you there myself," threatened Stacey.

"Don't worry about her, Stacey," Mrs Hardwicke said. "With you and John away from Shiloh, Elizabeth won't have so much work to do, and she and I will have a lovely, relaxing time on our own. Won't we, dear?"

Elizabeth tried to smile encouragingly.

Mrs Hardwicke continued, "And I thought that tomorrow we could take a picnic out to that grove beside the waterfall. It looked so lovely when we passed it riding the other day. I'm sure that a couple of hours there will cure your tiredness once and for all."

Mr Grainger nodded in agreement but Stacey looked doubtful.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The hands had spent a long day in the saddle driving the cattle on the first leg of their journey and they eagerly devoured the beans and hot coffee the cook had prepared.

"At least we've made a start," said Belden. "I hate the waiting before a cattle drive. It's the thinking about the long days and the dust and the heat that puts you off. Once it begins, you just get on with it."

Stacey was pushing his beans around the plate and didn't reply, his mind elsewhere.

"What's up, Stace?" asked Trampas. "You've hardly said two words since we made camp."

Stacey looked up from his plate. "Sorry. I've been thinking about Liz. I hope she's all right. I don't like leaving her when she's not feeling well."

"Well, she's got Mrs Hardwicke to look after her," said the Virginian.

"I don't know if that's such a good thing," said Belden.

"What do you mean?" asked Stacey.

"There's just something about that woman that bothers me."

"What?" asked Stacey, anxiety starting to enter his voice. "What is it?"

"It's not anything I could put a finger on, but, well, it was something that I saw – or thought I saw – at the station when she arrived."

Stacey stared at Belden, a sense of foreboding growing within him. "What? Tell me."

"Well, it was just something about the way she looked at Liz. I thought I caught her glaring at her. As if she didn't like her. I can't explain it. I only saw it for a moment and I could have been mistaken."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" demanded Stacey, pushing his plate away and standing up.

"I didn't know what to say, it seemed so strange. Anyway I forgot about it. She seemed to get on all right with everyone, particularly Liz. I thought I'd imagined it all."

"I'm going back."

"Now?" asked the Virginian.

"I've got to. I can't stay here. Liz is all alone at Shiloh with Mrs Hardwicke. Maybe that tiredness that Liz has been experiencing, maybe that's something to do with Mrs Hardwicke."

"Stacey, it's dark. You can't set out now. There's no moon tonight and you'll lose your way on the trail. Wait until first light tomorrow."

Stacey stood there frowning, knowing that the Virginian was talking sense but worrying about what a delay would mean. He shook his head decisively, "No. I can't leave it until tomorrow. I must leave now."

"I'll go with you," said Trampas. "You can spare me, can't you?" he asked, turning to the Virginian.

"Even if I couldn't, I wouldn't stop you, you know that."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I haven't got any proof, Mark," Dr Spaulding said the next morning in the Sheriff's Office, "but there was a full supply of sleeping powders in my cabinet when I left the surgery last Wednesday morning. However, when I went to get some for a patient yesterday I noticed that three packets were missing. I've searched everywhere for them but can't find them. The only person apart from my wife who has been in my room alone is Mrs Hardwicke."

"What do you want us to do about it, Doc? Go out to Shiloh and confront her?" asked the Sheriff.

"I thought I should talk to her myself but wondered if one of you would come with me, just in case there's a problem."

"Are you anticipating a problem?" asked Ryker.

"I don't know. I haven't met the woman. My wife tells me she is very pleasant and can't believe that she would steal anything. However, I'm worried that she might be addicted to the medication and that's why she secretly took it. If so, such people can be very erratic – even violent – and I might need your help."

"You've got it, Doc," said Ryker. "I'll ride out with you. Anyway, I'd like to see how Elizabeth is. She didn't come in to the dance on Saturday as she was feeling ill."

"I didn't know that," said Dr Spaulding.

"Yes. Stacey's been worried about her. He says she's been unusually tired the last few days, not like her usual lively self. She hasn't even wanted to go riding on her mare."

The doctor stared at Ryker thoughtfully, then picked up his hat and moved towards the door. "Let's get out to Shiloh right now."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Mrs Hardwicke had planned the picnic with precision. She had made the sandwiches and lemonade and packed the cutlery, glasses and plates. Elizabeth was too tired to take any interest, although she tried to be polite for her guest's sake. Perhaps after lunch Mrs Hardwicke would let her go to sleep in the sun and she'd wake up refreshed.

At the grove Mrs Hardwicke unloaded everything from the buggy and laid it out neatly on top of the checkered tablecloth she'd placed on the grass.

"Oh, this is such a perfect setting," she said enthusiastically. "I wonder," she smiled at Elizabeth, "before we start to eat, would you like to read a little more of Sarah's diary?"

Not wanting to disappoint Mrs Hardwicke, Elizabeth reluctantly opened the book.

"Have you got to the bit when your father moved away yet?"

"Yes," Elizabeth replied. "It upset Sarah a lot, didn't it? She missed him greatly."

"Yes," said Mrs Hardwicke. "He should never have left her. I thought it was very cruel of your grandfather to take him away from her."

"Cruel?" said Elizabeth, surprised at Mrs Hardwicke's choice of word. "It wasn't cruel of Grandad. They had to move to buy a bigger ranch. It was unfortunate for Sarah but they had no choice."

"Unfortunate!" exclaimed Mrs Hardwicke. "Yes, very unfortunate. It was unfortunate that your father met your mother and decided to marry her and not my Sarah. After all those years growing up together. They were meant for each other your father and my daughter. But your grandfather took your father away and then your mother stole him while Sarah wasn't there to protect him."

Elizabeth felt she was in a dream. It was hard for her to concentrate on what Mrs Hardwicke was saying. She seemed so far away. Nevertheless, the anger in her voice was unmistakable. But what exactly did she say? That her mother had stolen her father from Sarah? What did she mean?

"Read the diary. Read the diary. From here," Mrs Hardwicke ordered, thrusting the page in front of Elizabeth.

"_At last I've received a letter from Robert. It's been so long since I've heard from him. I was so excited to see his handwriting on the envelope, I could barely wait to open it! But I wanted to read it on my own, without anyone else around, so I rode out here to the lake to read it at our special place where we shared so many happy times together. I was so happy, especially as it was a long letter. He said he had such a lot of news to tell me because so much had happened since he'd last written, but, as I was his oldest friend, he wanted me to be the first one he told – he was going to marry Laura! He loved her so much that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He had known she was the one for him the first moment he'd seen her._

"_I am devastated. I cannot believe I have lost him. My heart is broken. My world is shattered. There is no future for me without Robert. There is only one way I can end my misery."_

"And there is only one way I can avenge her death," said Mrs Hardwicke.

Elizabeth knew that she must fight against Mrs Hardwicke but she was so tired. She couldn't even raise her arms to try to push the woman away. It was so much easier simply to let herself be led across the grass. Only when she felt the cold water seeping through her clothes did Elizabeth start to struggle. By then it was too late. Her arms flailed helplessly and her legs collapsed beneath her as her head was plunged down into the darkness of the water.

Panicking she tried to scream for help but by opening her mouth she swallowed more water and she felt herself sinking further and further down into the blackness. She was on the point of losing consciousness when she realized from violent splashing in the water around her that someone was wrestling with Mrs Hardwicke.

Suddenly the unforgiving hand forcing her down was pushed away and she felt strong but gentle arms encircle her and pull her up into the sunlight. Somewhere over by the buggy she heard Mrs Hardwicke screaming, and the familiar voices of Trampas and Ryker shouting. She recognized Dr Spaulding's voice as well, just before Mrs Hardwicke went quiet. Then slowly the blurred shadow in front of her began to take form and she found herself looking into the anxious eyes of her brother.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

John Grainger stared sadly at the photograph of the Hardwickes. It was the only memento he had from those distant days. They had been happy memories, he acknowledged that. But now he would never be able to look back at them in the same light. They would always be tarnished by what Mrs Hardwicke had tried to do to Elizabeth. It was difficult for him to understand how his old friend could have nurtured such hatred throughout all those years but the Sheriff had made enquiries and discovered that she had suffered a breakdown following her daughter's death. Her mental health had deteriorated so severely that her husband had employed a full-time nurse to care for her and stop her from harming herself or anyone else. However, when Jack died, she had dismissed the nurse and set out to track the Graingers down.

Logically, John Grainger knew he wasn't responsible for the circumstances that had led to Sarah's death and Olivia's breakdown. He knew it wasn't his son's fault either. And his daughter-in-law and granddaughter could certainly not be blamed. Nevertheless he couldn't help but feel partly responsible for what had happened. It had, after all, been his decision to move away to a bigger ranch in Texas. However hard he tried to defend himself, his actions had led to Sarah drowning herself on that beautiful spring day when her life should have been beginning not ending.

He sighed. He couldn't change the past even if he wanted to. And, anyway, he didn't regret the move to Texas, nor did he regret that his son had married Laura. Without those two events, he wouldn't have Stacey and Elizabeth, the two people who were now the center of his world. They were his future and gave meaning to his life. He was just thankful that Libby was making a good recovery and seemed to have suffered no long-term harm from the ordeal.

He picked up the photograph, looking at the faces of his old friends for one final time. Then he walked over to the fireplace and threw it into the flames.


End file.
